Wind turbines are equipped with a rotor for supporting various blades radially extending from it to capture kinetic energy from the wind, causing the rotation of a drive train coupled to an electric generator to produce electricity.
Wind turbine blade performance is affected by modifications to its aerodynamic profile caused by various agents.
Blade surfaces erode as a result of impacts with rain drops, hail, insects, particles in suspension, etc. The erosion of the leading edge in particular has a highly significant effect on the performance of wind turbine blades.
Blade surfaces could also be altered by the adhesion of some external element. The accumulation of ice on the blade has such a significant effect on performance, that it could require the wind turbine to be stopped. The accumulation of a significant amount of grime also impairs blade performance.
The aforementioned performance issues are further aggravated in lengthy blades installed on wind turbines currently sold on the market.
Common practice in prior art entails applying polyurethane strips on the leading edge of the blades to protect them against, primarily, erosion. However, the effectiveness of these strips is contingent upon their correct placement on the leading edge, which cannot always be attained due to defects in placement or deterioration of the strip during blade transport to the wind turbine site. Additionally, polyurethane strips are facing a potential issue as the trend is to produce larger blades, consequently increasing the aerodynamic noise created by the blade.
Replacing these strips with chemical coatings could prove difficult given the variety of agents that could modify the aerodynamic profile of wind turbine blades.
This invention has been conceived to solve the aforementioned difficulties.